Psalms 105:21 — Word Study
WLCשָׂמ֣וֹ אָד֣וֹן לְבֵית֑וֹ וּ֝מֹשֵׁ֗ל בְּכָל־ קִנְיָנֽוֹ׃
BSAHe made himsûwm■ [lord] masterʼâdôwn of his householdbayith [place, dwelling] rulermâshal [to have power over, in charge] over allkôl [everything, his entire possession] his substanceqinyân [acquisition, wealth, property, things gained]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| שָׂמ֣וֹ | he appointed him | Verb qal perfect third person masculine singular, suffix |
| אָד֣וֹן | master | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| לְבֵית֑וֹ | of household his | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| וּ֝מֹשֵׁ֗ל | and ruler | Conjunction, verb qal participle (active) masculine singular |
| בְּכָל־ | over every | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct |
| קִנְיָנֽוֹ׃ | possession his | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | He made him master of his household, ruler over all his substance, |
| KJV | He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance: |
| ASV | He made him lord of his house, And ruler of all his substance; |
| YLT | He hath made him lord of his house, And ruler over all his possessions. |
| WEB | He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all of his possessions, |
| BBE | He made him lord of his house, and ruler over everything he had; |
Where they part company is in the nuances of שָׂמ֣וֹ — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence is structured with a main clause followed by a descriptive phrase that elaborates on Joseph's authority.






7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Psalms 105:21
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Joseph's Rise to Powergenerated
Psalm 105:21 recounts how God elevated Joseph to a position of authority in Egypt, making him master of Potiphar's household and ruler over all his possessions. This reflects God's providence in Joseph's life, as seen in the broader narrative of Genesis, particularly in Genesis 41:40–44 and Genesis 45:8–26.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genesis 41:40–44 | You shall be in charge of my house, and all my people are to obey your commands. Only with regard to the throne will I be greater than you.” |
| 2 | Genesis 45:8–26 | Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God, who has made me a father to Pharaoh—lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — שָׂמ֣וֹ, sa.Mogenerated
The verb שׂוּם (sum) means to put, place, or appoint. It emphasizes the act of establishing Joseph in a position of authority, highlighting God's direct involvement in his rise.
This verb is in the perfect tense, indicating a completed action, which underscores that Joseph's appointment was a definitive act by God, setting the stage for the unfolding of Israel's history in Egypt.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses made him for the Hebrew verb שָׂמ֣וֹ and master for אָד֣וֹן.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb שָׂמ֣וֹ, he appointed, governs the entire clause, with the phrases describing Joseph's roles as master and ruler following it.
The structure emphasizes Joseph's authority over his household and possessions, illustrating the significant power he held.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates שָׂמ֣וֹ as αὐτὸν, meaning 'him,' which maintains the focus on Joseph's appointment.
This choice simplifies the Hebrew verb's nuance but still conveys the essential meaning of Joseph being placed in a position of authority.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 105:21 tells us that God made Joseph master of his household and ruler over all his possessions. This reflects God's plan for Joseph as he rose to power in Egypt, as seen in the story of Joseph in Genesis.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means that Joseph was given authority and responsibility over Potiphar's home and affairs, reflecting God's favor upon him.
This verse summarizes God's providential care for Joseph, as seen in Genesis, where he rises from slavery to a position of great power.
Being a ruler over all his substance indicates that Joseph had complete control over Potiphar's wealth and property, showcasing the trust placed in him.
This verse illustrates God's sovereignty in orchestrating events in Joseph's life, demonstrating His ability to elevate individuals for His purposes.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I seen God's hand at work in my life, similar to Joseph's experience?
- How can I trust God to place me where He wants me, even in difficult circumstances?
- What does it mean for me to have authority in my own life or in my community?
- How can I reflect God's sovereignty in my decisions and actions?
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 105:21 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleHe made him lord of his house,.... That is, Pharaoh made Joseph lord chamberlain of his household; after he had him to court, and he had interpreted his dreams to him to his great satisfaction, and
Read John Gill on Psalms 105 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryMoreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread. -The circumstances leading to the bringing of the heirs of the promise into Egypt.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 105 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleHeb. of all his possession, i.e. of his whole kingdom.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 105 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 105:21 He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance:Ver. 21. He made him lord of his house] Thus, for his short braid of imprisonment, whereof he never dreamed, Joseph hath eighty years’ preferment, more than ever he dreamed of: God’ s retributions are very bountiful.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 105 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges13–24. Jehovah’s providential guidance of the patriarchs in their migrations.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 105 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleHe made him lord of his house - Genesis 41:40. This implied that the administration of the affairs of the nation was virtually committed to him. And ruler of all his substance - Margin, as in Hebrew, “possession.” Of all he had.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 105 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible21. The description of Joseph’s affairs which follows is best interpreted by the history. Genesis 41:39-44. House… substance—Comprehending his subjects and realm.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 105 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
He made him master of his household, ruler over all his substance,
He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all of his possessions,
He made him master of his household, ruler over all his substance,
He put him in charge of his palace, and made him manager of all his property,
Tyndale line
He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance:
He made him lord of his house, And ruler of all his substance;
He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance:
He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance:
He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance,
Strictly literal
He made him lord of his house, and ruler over all his possessions:
He hath made him lord of his house, And ruler over all his possessions.
He has made him lord of his house, || And ruler over all his possessions.
He appointed him lord of his house, and ruler of all his possession:
He put him in charge of his house as ruler of all his possessions
From the Latin
They forgot God, who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt,
Simplified
He put Joseph in charge of the royal household, manager of everything he had,
He made him lord of his house, and ruler over everything he had;
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the wording of this verse, with all six Hebrew words matched in the Greek translation, indicating a consistent understanding of Joseph's role.
שָׂמ֣וֹ אָד֣וֹן לְבֵית֑וֹ וּ֝מֹשֵׁ֗ל בְּכָל־ קִנְיָנֽוֹ׃
6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 105:21
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word שׂוּם (sum) is a verb meaning to put, place, or set, with a wide range of applications including appointing, establishing, and making. It can also refer to laying something upon or directing it. There is a related noun שׂוּמָה (sumah), which may denote a token of unluckiness. The entries do not present any significant disagreement.
שׂוּם, שִׂים 582 vb. put, place, set
Qal
put, set, in a place
put something upon
put, lay, set
put, c. בֵּין
set, direct
set, ordain, in a place
set, establish a law, statute
set, found a nation
set, appoint (as ruler, official)
set, constitute, make
set, determine, fix, bounds
set, station, at a post
put in position, sacred bread, sword, staves, bars
set up altars
= plant, wheat
set, fix (countenance)
make a thing, or pers. (acc.), for, transform into
make, constitute
work, bring to pass
appoint, give
set, fix (countenance)
Hiph. I will make him for a sign
Hoph. there was set before him
base
שׂוּמָה perhaps n. f. token of unluckiness, scowl;—2 S 13:32
ref
H7760a שׂוּם, שִׂים put, place, set .. . put, set, in a place
. put something upon
. put, lay, set
. put, c. בֵּין
. set, direct
. . set, ordain, in a place
. set, establish a law, statute
. set, found a nation
. set, appoint (as ruler, official)
. set, constitute, make
. set, determine, fix, bounds
. . set, station, at a post
. put in position, sacred bread, sword, staves, bars
. set up altars
. = plant, wheat
. set, fix (countenance)
. . make a thing, or pers. (acc.), for, transform into
. make, constitute
. work, bring to pass
. appoint, give
. set, fix (countenance)
. I will make him for a sign
. there was set before him
H7760b שׂוּמָה perhaps n. f. token of unluckiness, scowl
7760 suwm soom
or siym {seem}; a primitive root; to put (used in a great
variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially,
and elliptically):--X any wise, appoint, bring, call (a
name), care, cast in, change, charge, commit, consider,
convey, determine, + disguise, dispose, do, get, give, heap
up, hold, impute, lay (down, up), leave, look, make (out),
mark, + name, X on, ordain, order, + paint, place, preserve,
purpose, put (on), + regard, rehearse, reward, (cause to) set
(on, up), shew, + stedfastly, take, X tell, + tread down,
((over-))turn, X wholly, work.
שׂוּם (sum) — to set: make.
: make/establish
1) to put, place, set, appoint, make
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to put, set, lay, put or lay upon, lay (violent) hands on
1a2) to set, direct, direct toward
1a2a) to extend (compassion) (fig)
1a3) to set, ordain, establish, found, appoint, constitute, make, determine, fix
1a4) to set, station, put, set in place, plant, fix
1a5) to make, make for, transform into, constitute, fashion, work, bring to pass, appoint, give
1b) (Hiphil) to set or make for a sign
1c) (Hophal) to be set
שׂוּמָה (su.mah) — fate.
token of unluckiness, scowl
שׂוּם (sum) — to set: put.
: put/give
1) to put, place, set, appoint, make
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to put, set, lay, put or lay upon, lay (violent) hands on
1a2) to set, direct, direct toward
1a2a) to extend (compassion) (fig)
1a3) to set, ordain, establish, found, appoint, constitute, make, determine, fix
V-Qal-Perf-3ms | Suff — Verb qal perfect third person masculine singular · suffixHVqp3ms/Sp3ms
The Hebrew word אָדוֹן (*'adown*) means 'lord' and is derived from a root meaning to rule. It covers a range of meanings, referring to both human and divine authority, including terms like master, king, and superintendent. Variations exist for divine references, such as אֲדֹנָי (*Adonai*), distinguishing God from human lords.
אָדוֹן n.m. lord (אֲדֹנִי, אֲדֹנַי, אֲדֹנָי are variations of Mass. pointing to distinguish divine reference fr. human. Pl., with few exc. an intens. pl. of rank; word takes sf. as pl. in all other pers.; so doubtless here. Orig. reading prob. in all cases אֲדֹנַי; אֲדֹנִי now found in J 51 t.)
base
H113 אָדוֹן lord
113 'adown aw-done'
or (shortened) adon {aw-done'}; from an unused root (meaning
to rule); sovereign, i.e. controller (human or divine):--
lord, master, owner. Compare also names beginning with
"Adoni-".
אָדוֹן (a.don) — lord.
1) firm, strong, lord, master
1a) lord, master
1a1) reference to men
1a1a) superintendent of household, of affairs
1a1b) master
1a1c) king
1a2) reference to God
1a2a) the Lord God
1a2b) Lord of the whole earth
1b) lords, kings
1b1) reference to men
1b1a) proprietor of hill of Samaria
1b1b) master
1b1c) husband
1b1d) prophet
1b1e) governor
1b1f) prince
1b1g) king
1b2) reference to God
1b2a) Lord of lords (probably = "thy husband, Yahweh")
1c) my lord, my master
1c1) reference to men
1c1a) master
1c1b) husband
1c1c) prophet
1c1d) prince
1c1e) king
1c1f) father
1c1g) Moses
1c1h) priest
1c1i) theophanic angel
1c1j) captain
1c1k) general recognition of superiority
1c2) reference to God
1c2a) my Lord, my Lord and my God
1c2b) Adonai (parallel with Yahweh)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
mas'-ter ('adhon, ba`al, rabbi; despotes, didaskalos, kurios, rhabbi): "Master," when the translation of 'adhon, "ruler," "lord" (Sir), often translated "lord," denotes generally the owner or master of a servant or slave (Ge 24:9, etc.; 39:2, etc.; Ex 21:4, etc.; De 23:15 bis; 2Sa 9:9,10 twice; Pr 30:10); elsewhere it is rather "lord" or "ruler" (often king, e.g. 1Sa 24:6,8; 26:16); in the plural 'adhonim, it is, as the rule, used only of God (but see Ge 19:2,18;
The Hebrew word בַּיִת (*bayith*) means 'house' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including dwelling, family, and place. It can refer to physical structures, such as homes and temples, as well as metaphorical uses like the body or household affairs. The word is built from the root related to 'between' and appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament.
בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between
base
בַּ֫יִת 2034 n.m. house
house
place
receptacle
of house as containing a family
household, family (592 t.)
house, including household affairs
lit. housewards, hence metaph. inwards
מִבַּיִת
adv. on the inside
prep. within
base
H1004a בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between H1004b בַּ֫יִת house
1004 bayith bah'-yith
probably from 1129 abbreviated; a house (in the greatest
variation of applications, especially family, etc.):--court,
daughter, door, + dungeon, family, + forth of, X great as
would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter)house(-hold),
inside(-ward), palace, place, + prison, + steward, + tablet,
temple, web, + within(-out).
see HEBREW for 01129
בֵּית (bet) — place.
nm
place, origin, between
בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — house: home.
: home/temple/building
nm
1) house
1a) house, dwelling habitation
1b) shelter or abode of animals
1c) human bodies (fig.)
1d) of Sheol
1e) of abode of light and darkness
1f) of land of Ephraim
2) place
3) receptacle
4) home, house as containing a family
5) household, family
5a) those belonging to the same household
5b) family of descendants, descendants as organized body
6) household affairs
7) inwards (metaph.)
8) (TWOT) temple
adv
9) on the inside
prep
10) within
בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(ashbea).
nm
This name is used for a house, habitation
Combined with ash.be.a (אַשְׁבֵּעַ "Ashbea" H0791)
בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth (Haggan).
nm
This name is used for a house, habitation
Combined with hag (גַּן "Haggan" H1588)
בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(togarmah).
nm
This name is used for a house, habitation
Prep | N-ms | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms
מָשַׁל (mashal) is a Hebrew verb meaning to rule or have dominion. It can refer to human authority, the dominion of heavenly bodies, or God's sovereignty. The word has a Qal form indicating direct rule and a Hiphil form that implies causing someone to rule or exercising dominion.
מָשַׁל vb. rule, have dominion, reign
Qal
human subj., rule, have dominion over
of heavenly bodies
of God
Hiph. cause to rule; exercise dominion
base
H4910 מָשַׁל rule, have dominion, reign .. human subj., rule, have dominion over
. of heavenly bodies
. of God
. cause to rule; exercise dominion
4910 mashal maw-shal'
a primitive root; to rule:--(have, make to have) dominion,
governor, X indeed, reign, (bear, cause to, have)
rule(-ing, -r), have power.
מָשַׁל (ma.shal) — to rule.
1) to rule, have dominion, reign
1a) (Qal) to rule, have dominion
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to cause to rule
1b2) to exercise dominion
Conj | V-Qal — Conjunction · verb qal participle (active) masculine singularHC/Vqrmsa
rool'-er:
1. In the Old Testament:
(1) moshel, "ruler," "prince," "master" (tyrant), applied to Joseph in Egypt (Ge 45:8; compare Ps 105:21); to the Philistines (Jud 15:11); to David's descendants, the future kings of Israel (2Ch 7:18; compare Jer 33:26); to Pharaoh (Ps 105:20); to a wicked prince, a tyrant (Pr 28:15; compare Isa 14:5; 49:7); to theocratic king, the Messiah (Mic 5:2); it is often used in…
כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.
כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all
with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
Absolutely:
without the art., all things, all
with the art. הַכֹּל
where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
base
H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all
. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
3605 kol kole
or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;
hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a
plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any
(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as
many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,
whoso(-ever).
see HEBREW for 03634
כֹּל (kol) — all.
1) all, the whole
1a) all, the whole of
1b) any, each, every, anything
1c) totality, everything
Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular constructHR/Ncmsc
קִנְיָן (qinyan) refers to an acquisition or possession, encompassing things that are obtained, such as property or wealth. It is derived from a root meaning 'to create' and can also refer to creatures in a broader sense. The entries consistently highlight its connection to ownership and material goods.
קִנְיָן n.[m.] thing got or acquired, acquisition
base
H7075 קִנְיָן thing got or acquired, acquisition
7075 qinyan kin-yawn'
from 7069; creation, i.e. (concretely) creatures; also
acquisition, purchase, wealth:--getting, goods, X with money,
riches, substance.
see HEBREW for 07069
קִנְיָן (qin.yan) — acquisition.
1) thing acquired, acquisition, possession, purchased property, wealth
1a) thing acquired (by purchase)
1b) creatures (more general)
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp3ms
